No More Heroes
by Brennan4
Summary: "Your name is William Kaplan. You're a gay, Jewish fanboy living in New York City and you have never done anything particularly remarkable with your life. And for longer than you can remember, something has felt wrong with your world. Something that is always there, but you can't put your finger on. i think Ican help you." Billy awakes in a world without superpowers.
1. Nobody Likes Hospitals

Billy wake in a hospital bed with no memory of how he got there.

_How fucking cliché... the whole hospital-amnesia thing. If feel like whoever Mary Jane Watson played in that soap opera. At least I can remember it's cliché. That counts for something, right?_

A nurse walked in with a charming smile. Any other boy from his school would probably consider her a "sight for sore eyes."

_Oh. That's right. Kessler. Shit. That's probably why I'm here._

The nurse's nametag read, "Jane Foster." Jane sat down next to the bed and asked, "How are you doing? Can I get you anything?"

Billy didn't have the energy to do much more than shake his head.

"Alright, you sit tight. Dr. Doom will be in to see you in a second."

That got Billy's attention. "Dr. Doom?!"

A man with soft, shiny brown hair and a face to die for walked in, placing a medical chart on the table. "Yes, my name is really Dr. Doom. Victor Von Doom, actually."

His voice struck Billy as a bit too loud for the otherwise quiet ward.

"It's Latverian," continued Dr. Doom. "I've been told I'm descended from royalty. Who knows, I might be some kind of king if it weren't for..." His booming voice cracked. The room was eerily silent. Everyone learned about the atrocities the Latverians suffered at the hands of Zemo and Schmidt at the end of World War II by eighth grade. It wasn't a fun subject.

Jane changed the topic. "I'm told you tried to be quite the hero, Billy. Standing up for that kid must have been scary."

Doom grinned. "Take it from me; next time just let it go. You very nearly died from the pounding you took. If it weren't for Oscorp's new regeneration formula, you'd be in a cast for months. Luckily, you're expected to make a full recovery in a few days."

"What am I supposed to do until then?" asked Billy.

Jane said, "You can watch TV, but I wouldn't bother. The reception here is awful. The best you'll get is Stark's new reality show or that grouchy televangelist."

Billy frowned. _Fucking great. _He didn't care to see America's favorite billionaire's slow, televised descent into alcoholism, but the last thing he needed was Reverend William Stryker bitching about gays, immigration, religious minorities, or whatever happened to spring to mind.

"Got any newspapers?"

* * *

For the next two days Billy subsisted of back issues of _The Daily Bugle_. His family came to visit, but he was so groggy from painkillers that he didn't make good company. He quickly decided it wasn't worth it for them to waste their time on him when he was barely aware what was going on. So they went back to school or their clients while he stayed with his new best friend, editor J. Jonah Jameson Jr.

The stories fit the current atmosphere better than his almost painfully supportive family. He couldn't find a single optimistic headline, which suited his mood just fine.

**"General Ross wanted for questioning regarded treatment of prisoners during Wakandan War."**

**"NYPD Captain Stacy reports no new leads as "Sin-Eater" killer claims 26th victim." **

**"Famed scientist pleads guilty to assaulting wife again."**

**"California teen runaways murdered by parents, police say."**

**"Renowned blind lawyer killed in suspected mob hit."**

For longer than he could remember, something had felt wrong to Billy about the world. For some reason, he felt things were supposed to be different. Not necessarily better, but different. He used to think it was because of the bullying, that he had developed some kind of persecution complex, or whatever his mom called it. But sitting alone in at ward, reading those papers, Billy felt something was wrong on an almost cosmic level.

By afternoon on the second day Billy had gone stir-crazy. He didn't want to see his family, but he needed _some _form of human contact.

_I don't give a fuck what Dr. Doom says, I need to get out of bed and stretch my legs or something. _

Not caring that he was dressed in a hospital gown, Billy began exploring the hospital. The thing that interested him about hospitals was that nobody wanted to be there, but nobody wanted to be anywhere else at that particular moment. Everyone had a story.

He walked up the metal stairs in the east wing. The cold metal chilling his bare feet made him feel more alive than he had since he got here. He saw a young boy, about two years younger than he was, standing nonchalantly by a water fountain.

The boy had silky black hair, a green hoody, and was wearing a variety of slim golden bracelets and necklaces. His mouth was crooked upwards in the most mischievous grin he had ever seen. "Come over here for a second."

As he had nothing better to do, Billy walked in the grinning boy's direction. "By the way, watch your step."

Billy looked down too late. He felt something slimy mash beneath his left foot, ruining his traction and sending him flat on his ass. The boy giggled madly and ran down the hall. Billy couldn't muster the strength to get up, but was able to turn his head and see he had literally slipped in a banana peel.

_Who actually leaves banana peels on the floor of a hospital? Better yet, what kind of idiot actually slips on one?_

"You look like you could use a hand." said a warm voice from above. A long arm entered Billy's field of vision. He grabbed it and was pulled of the floor.

"Thanks. Looks like I fell for the oldest joke in the book." said Billy.

His rescuer laughed. Unlike the manic giggles from the grinning boy, this laugh was soothing, almost melodic. Billy looked at the boy who had pulled him up and his jaw almost dropped.

"I'm Teddy." said the tall, blonde, muscular boy. He had spiky, shiny hair that reached around the five piercings on each of his ears. He wore a soft black and purple sweater that practically hugged his body. He looked exactly like the type of person who had been beating Billy for years. He was afraid, at first. He had learned to fear people who looked like Teddy.

But the fear melted away the moment Billy glanced at his face. His doughy complexion and brilliant blue eyes radiated relaxing energy.

Billy realized that he had just spent a full minute staring at a complete stranger. "Uhh, yeah. Hi." Billy inhale and composed himself. "Sorry, painkillers. I probably seem like a weirdo, which I kind of am anyway. So yeah. I'm Billy."

Teddy laughed again. "Oh, that's great. How cheesy would it be to make a _Bill and Ted_ joke, huh?"

Billy was a bit taken aback. He could count on one hand the people at his school that had seen that movie, and none of them looked like Teddy.

_What's this guy's story?_

"So, uh, what's your story?" asked Billy. _Why am I having trouble breathing? Is this some kind of side effect? Just what the hell was in that Oscorp stuff? _

Teddy's smile cracked for a split second. "I'm here with my mom. She has a chemo appointment."

"Oh, man, I'm sorry. That's got to be rough."

"It's a hospital. We don't come for the food and new magazines. I'll bet you're not here for spring break or anything."

_"_Yep, I got delivered here straight from school in an ambulance. Apparently. I was unconscious for most of it. You can't tell now, but I was really bruised and bloody."

Teddy put a hand on his shoulder. "It really cleared up. You have nicer skin than half the basketball team."

"Thanks. Though credit really goes to Dr. Connors and the other geniuses at Oscorp."

Billy returned the gesture and grasped Teddy's shoulder. It seemed like the polite thing to do. "My mom was actually considering looking into their stuff as an alternative treatment. Maybe she'll be the next Eddie Brock."

Billy couldn't help but notice the firm muscle in Teddy's shoulder. He had never really touched another guy like this before. The muscle was new, almost hypnotic sensation, much more malleable and fluid than he would have thought.

"I hope that means your mom won't go on tour across the country giving admittedly inspirational speeches about _"Rebirth in Christ"_ or whatever that makes you want to gag just a little."

There was Teddy's laugh again. Billy could feel the other boy's whole body shake with mirth. "I hope not. I just saw him on Stryker's show in the waiting room. Talk about sappy."

Billy couldn't think of anything else to say, so he just paused and took in everything around him. _Man, these painkillers sure have me out of it._

Teddy's muscles straightened as he looked up like he just remembered something. "I should go, man. My mom'll be done soon."

Before Bill had time to react, Teddy was jogging down the hall.

* * *

The first thing Billy did when he returned home was fire up his shiny Starktech laptop. The Ultron-5 was a birthday present from last year that he had sorely missed. There was so much to catch up on, so many new comics and TV episodes. Fortunately, he was mostly forgotten on social networking sites. Everybody seemed more interested in some girl who punched Mr. Summers, probably breaking his stupid shades. Also, her first name appeared to literally be America.

_She and Victor should start a fucking club._

Out of sheer curiosity, he tried to see if Teddy had an account, but to no avail. Billy wasn't surprised; he hadn't even gotten his last name. But he felt strangely disappointed, and couldn't stop thinking about the strange, bulky, geeky boy he had met.

_I'm probably just associating him with the painkillers, right? Mom mentioned something like that once. I think. Please don't let me have a crush on some random guy I met for five minutes who could probably throw me through a wall._

His train of thought died as his doorbell began buzzing frantically. With an irritated snarl, he stood up and went to answer it. He opened the door and saw that same grinning boy from the hospital.

"Okay, what the hell is your problem?"

The boy reached out a gloved hand. He replied, "At risk of sounding inane, I think a better question is, '_What's your problem?' _This is a much trickier question."

The boy spoke with a heavy, cultured accent. It sounded distinctly European, possibly Norwegian or something.

"Tricky questions are my specialty. I may be able to help you with yours. But not right now."

The boy grabbed Billy's hand by the palm. He felt the familiar shock of a cheap joy buzzer, something Billy hadn't felt since middle school. The boy stuck out his tongue and ran off in the night, cackling with glee.

Billy returned to his room lost in thought. Despite his annoyance, he couldn't help but wonder about the boy. _Something _definitely felt strange about his life, though he couldn't put his finger on it. It had been particularly strong throughout his stay at the hospital.

_I wonder what set me off so much at the hospital. It all felt... wrong or something. _

Billy recounted his memories at the hospital and remembered Teddy. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of anything that felt wrong about Teddy.

That scared him a little, and he didn't know why.

To Be Continued


	2. Responsibility

As Billy had hoped, his return to school was greeted with little fanfare. People seemed more concerned with the latest drunken escapades of Tony Stark or the practical joker who had stolen the school's entire supply of toilet paper for the next two weeks, replacing it with fake novelty rolls that didn't tear. Billy wasn't surprised because bullying tended to be ignored here. He had a brief meeting with a guidance counselor who barely even paid attention to him. Billy filled out a questionnaire with the most harmless answers he could think of before leaving. He smiled at his few friends in the halls and acted like nothing had happened.

For this reason he was surprised when he got a note from his biology teacher Mr. Parker telling him to come after school. Billy had already caught up on the work he had missed, so he knew Mr. Parker wanted to talk about something more personal.

After the final bell rang he gathered his books and made his way back to Mr. Parker's classroom in the Banner Memorial Science Hall. Mr. Parker was waiting for him inside. He said, "Hello Mr. Kaplan. I hope you don't mind giving me some of your valuable time."

Billy sat down in a chair right in front of the teacher's desk. "I didn't really have anything else planned today. But if you're worried about my psychological outlook, I've talked to the counselor and my mom's a therapist. So if anyone's time is being wasted, it's yours."

Mr. Parker smiled in a slightly sad way. "Trust me, this is important. I used to get bullied when I was your age, so I want to tell you something I wish someone had told me."

Mr. Parker stood up and pulled out a black and white photo of an old man. He looked about sixty years old, and had one of the most heartfelt smiles Billy had ever seen. Mr. Parker said, "This is my Uncle, Benjamin Parker. He practically raised me like a father after my parents died. He always looked for the best and people, and liked to say, 'with great power comes great responsibility.' I used to think it was the wisest thing I had ever heard."

Mr. Parkers tone grew low and bitter. "But that all changed when I was sixteen. A burglar broke into my house and shot him right in front of me. The killer was never brought to justice. I still kept on believing what he said, even when my wife Gwen died in a car crash and my best friend Harry died of a drug overdose. The driver got off scot free and Harry's cruel, deranged, and neglectful father is one of the richest men in the country. Finally I saw the real truth to what he said. Sometimes you don't have enough power to live up to your responsibilities. No matter what you do, sometimes you can't protect the people you love and the world keeps on spinning like nothing ever happened."

Billy was now feeling unspeakably uncomfortable. His teacher had brought him in for what seemed like a motivational talk but was now on the verge of tears. "Why are you telling me this, Mr. Parker?"

"Because, as I understand, your most recent beating occurred when you tried to help another student Kessler was hurting. You stood up to help someone in need and got your ass kicked. I'm telling you not to do it again."

Billy raised an eyebrow. "But Kessler will just-"

"Kessler won't learn anything if he thinks he can beat up anyone who can stop him. I was bullied by someone named Flash Thompson, who went on to become a goddamn war hero. You can't think it's your responsibility to change people, Billy. Just live your life as best as you can and let other people live theirs."

It was clear to Billy that this conversation was just going to get more awkward and less helpful, so he politely excused himself. That night he cried himself to sleep without knowing why.

* * *

A few days later Billy made one of his semi-weekly trips to his local comic book shop. He enjoyed superhero stories, but their quality had gone down in recent years. In response to complaints that heroes were too "cheesy" and "simple" comic companies now only published stories about jaded, murderous vigilantes in black costumes. Nothing like the classic Captain America comics. At this point he mostly came here in the hopes of seeing like-minded people he could befriend without fear.

While perusing the stacks he smelled the strong odor of pumpkin pie. He put down the comic he was holding to go investigate. He looked and saw a familiar head of spiked Blond hair with earrings. _It can't be…_

He approached the boy and shyly tapped his shoulder. Teddy turned around in confusion confusion, before laughing in surprise. "Billy?! I didn't peg you for a comics fan!"

Billy stammered, "I- ehrm, I'm more surprised then you are. You look more like some kind of quarterback than a superhero geek."

Teddy chuckled, a sound Billy had forgot how much he enjoyed. "Well, I am on the basketball team. But looks can be deceiving, I guess."

Teddy draped his arm around Billy's neck. "How have you been doing? Glad to be out of the hospital?"

Billy tried in vain to ignore how much he loved the warmth of Teddy's arm and the smell of his apparently pumpkin-scented shampoo. "What makes you think that? Doesn't everyone love cafeteria food and terrible cable reception?"

When Teddy laughed, Billy could feel the tremors from his chest travel through his arm. Emboldened, he continued, "And how could anyone not love the bedside manner of someone whose name is literally Doctor fucking Doom? I'm surprised that people don't fake illnesses just to stay longer."

Teddy kept laughing, and pulled Billy in closer to his chest. Despite his best intentions, Billy couldn't help but spend a few seconds just resting in his embrace, taking in his body heat and firm muscles and weird pumpkin smell…

_Well, fuck. I've got a crush, don't I? And on some random guy who I don't even know the last name of. Fuck you, Teddy Lastnameunknown. Fuck you for being so warm and smiley and just goddamn beautiful._

Teddy's body straightened and he let go of Billy. "Uhh, sorry. I'm a bit of a hugger. It's probably weird to hug random people who you've barely met."

Billy nodded even though the one thing he wanted most in the world was for Teddy to hold him again, _right fucking now._

Teddy whistled. "Anyway, I, uh, should probably get going. The basketball team's having a party, and the cheerleaders are gonna be there, so, uh…"

Billy said, "I'll walk with you. It's getting late anyway, and I need to head home too. It's probably not a good idea to walk home alone in the dark, right?"

Teddy said, "Sure, I guess." Billy blushed and his heart rate increased violently. Despite the fact that he felt like could barely stand, he somehow managed to walk out with Teddy.

The two walked alongside each other in relative silence. Billy did his best to keep himself from blatantly staring at Teddy with deep longing in his eyes, with mixed results. Every time he looked a little too long, Teddy would giggle in awkward confusion and Billy would look away as if nothing had happened. Eventually Teddy started to look a little uncomfortable so Billy gazed at his own shoes instead.

The only interruption in their walk was when they passed St. Patrick's Cathedral. Police cars had barricaded the church and reporters were buzzing about the street. They heard crying, but couldn't see where it was coming from. The boys took a detour around the mess of people and looked back.

"What do you think all that's about?" asked Teddy.

"Beats me. I think some of them might have been there for a weeding or something. Looked pretty bad though."

"Yeah. Hope nobody got hurt."

Billy elbowed him gently in the belly. "You're just a big softie, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but if you even think about making a 'teddy bear' joke, I will kill you."

The two split off and went home alone. Within seconds, Billy missed the comforting smell of pumpkin pie. He didn't eve like pumpkin pie that much, but now he had a powerful craving for it.

* * *

Billy got home a bit later than he would have liked. The moment he opened the door his parents rushed out to hold him. "Oh, thank god. We were so worried." said his Mom.

Billy laughed awkwardly. "I'm not that late. What's the big deal?"

"You went by the cathedral, right?" asked Dad.

Billy said, "Yeah, there were all these police cars, so we went around it."

"We?" his mom asked curiously.

Billy tried his best to look casual as he shrugged. "Yeah, I met some guy in the comic shop and we walked home together. Anyway, do you know what all that was about?"

"Just watch the news." said Dad grimly.

It turned out that the wedding of Susan Bishop had been interrupted by armed men. They took the guests hostage and began negotiating with the police. Things went south and some people got shot. Two were dead, Susan's sister Kate and a boy named Eli Bradley.

_No wonder my parents were worried. Both of them were about my age._

Billy kept watching, and things only got stranger. It appeared that Bradley had actually attacked the gunmen while dressed like Captain America. Kate tried to help too, beating one of the gunmen pretty badly.

_I can understand what Kate did, but what's up with the boy? Who fights crime decked out as a fictional character from WWII? What's next, people fighting bank robbers dressed as Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter?_

Billy tried not to think about it too much as he lay in bed that night. Instead, his thoughts went back to Teddy. He took some comfort in the fact that he wasn't your stereotypical athlete, and seemed to just be a really nice guy all-around. He did seem to be a somewhat uneasy around Billy though.

_God, I hope I don't creep him out. I don't even know if he's gay. Hell, I don't even know if he's __**okay **__with gay people. And even if both are true, the odds that he actually likes me are lower still._

Billy heard his Ultron-5 beep. He looked in the lower corner of the screen and saw a word bubble saying, "You've got a message" coming from MODOK. Billy clicked on the mascot for Automatic Instant Messaging and opened his account. He briefly thought it might be from Teddy, before remembering he had never given him his AIM account. He opened the new message, which said, _"Billy, I need to see you. Stop by the Stark mansion tomorrow, Love, Wanda."_

To Be Continued


	3. Wanda Maximoff

_God, what am I even doing here. I know this isn't going to end well. It never does with my birth mother._

It looked like it was going to rain any second. Billy hadn't brought an umbrella, but he didn't care. Being wet was the least of his concerns about this meeting.

Wanda was wearing a bright scarlet dress with a leather handbag that matched the color. She stuck out vibrantly against the grey background of the city and the sky. She sat down next to Billy on a bench in from of the abandoned mansion.

"Sorry I was a bit late, Billy. I have to be careful with our meetings. I thought someone might be watching. Anyway, how are things going?"

Billy snorted derisively. "Not great. Seeing you isn't helping. The feds told me if you contacted me again to call them right away. You're very lucky I didn't call agent Carter as soon as I got your message. This better be fucking important."

Wanda clasped Billy's hand affectionately. "Does a mother need a reason to see her biological son?"

"Yes." growled Billy. "When she's an international terrorist, _yes she fucking does_. You can't just show up out of the blue and act like we're any other family. You, grandpa, and Uncle Pietro always had some reason for contacting us, always to further your delusional goals."

Wanda looked off into the clouds. "I visited Tommy a few days ago."

"Really? Security at Ravencroft must be getting lax if they let you in."

"He said you haven't seen him in over a year. Don't you want to know how he's doing?"

"If he's still at a mental hospital, he probably isn't doing well."

Wanda didn't acknowledge that Billy had said anything. After a moment, she said, "You know I love you, right Billy?"

"Yeah" he replied nonchalantly. On the few occasions they had talked, Billy was always frustrated by Wanda's unresponsiveness. She seemed to be having an entirely different conversation, and would answer questions he didn't ask and randomly change the subject. It always creeped him out.

"Have you made any new friends?" asked Wanda, her voice melodic and distant.

In spite of himself, Billy answered. "Yeah, I guess. There's this guy I really like. He's just... perfect. But we barely know each other. I don't even know his last name."

Wanda held Billy tight, making him extraordinarily uncomfortable. "When you love someone, you can't let anything or anyone stop you. I learned that the hard way."

_That would be inspiring if I didn't know you killed your husband. _

"Somehow I don't think this guy is going to fall for me just because I wish for it really hard. Otherwise, he would have already."

"Don't be so dismissive, my son. You are special. Far more than you realize. Anything in the world could be yours, you just have to want it more than anything else."

"Well, now I know you're nuts. If that were true, you wouldn't be here right now, and you'd stop harassing me and would let me live my life."

Wanda was on the verge of tears. "Is that really how you feel?"

"Of course it is. You're my mother, and that earns you a certain amount of respect and affection, no matter what the circumstances of my birth are. But you and your deranged family have wasted that by killing innocent people for a message. "

Hot tears were streaming down Billy's face. He wondered what he did to deserve the entire situation with his extended family. He certainly didn't ask to be the offspring of terrorists and to have a psychopathic twin brother. He didn't ask to be bullied, or to have burning love for someone he hardly knew.

_However, because I'm not fucking psychotic, I know life doesn't just give you things because you ask for them_.

Wanda sighed deeply. "Are you thirsty?"

_Here we go with the non-sequiturs again. _

"No, not really. Thanks, though."

Wanda reached into her bag and pulled out a plastic water bottle. It must have been some vitamin drink or something, because the liquid was a bright red that almost never appeared in nature. Wanda took several quick chugs before putting it back in the bag.

"I don't have too much time left before I have to leave, so hear me out. I love you, William. So much. More than you can possibly know. I wish you loved yourself as much as I love you. I can accept you not loving me, but you need to love yourself. And you need t find someone you love, because they will love you back. I guarantee it."

Wanda leaned back on the bench and closed her eyes. She never opened them again.

* * *

The next few hours were a total blur. Billy vaguely remembered being driven to the police station and questioned by Detective DeWolff. He couldn't remember the questions, which he barely paid attention to at the time anyway.

He recalled some, but not all, of the details the police had determined about his Mother's death. They suspected that the poison that killed her came from the water bottle, and that she had died painlessly. Billy sat outside DeWolff's office and fell asleep.

When he woke up, his awareness of everything around him was much clearer. He understood the talking and shouting officers in the background. He could see the sad looks officers gave him when they passed him by. He saw the green hooded boy who had approached his house.

_Okay, what the fuck is this kid's deal? If he's fucking with me, he's going way too far._

The boy sat across the hall from him. "Small world, huh Billy."

"I don't recall telling you my name."

The boy giggled. "Well, you must have at some point. How else would I know it?"

Billy decided it was best not to dignify that with a response. "So what are you doing here?"

"I was brought in for questioning!" said the boy, with way too much enthusiasm. "It appears someone defaced the city councils website with dirty jokes written in ancient Norse."

The boy's smile was the most sickening expression Billy had ever seen on a human face. Trying and failing to hold back laugher, the boy said, "I can only hope this vile perpetrator is brought to justice."

_Alright, enough with the games. _

"Who the hell are you? And what do you know about me? "

"Your name is William Kaplan. You're a gay, Jewish, fanboy living in New York City and you have never done anything particularly remarkable. And for longer than you can remember, something has felt wrong with your world. Something that is always there, but you can't put your finger on. I think I can help you."

"How can you help me?"

The boy stood up. "I can annoy you until you get off your posterior and fix everything. Now if you'll excuse me, my state appointed lawyer is here."

The boy practically skipped into one of the offices.

* * *

That night, Billy expected to dream about Wanda. He expected all sorts of nightmares and twisted memories of their time together. At the very least he expected her last moments to flash before his eyes over and over again. Instead, he dreamed of Teddy.

Wanda would have wanted it that way. Crazy as she was, Billy still felt obligated to honor her final wish. He dreamed of Teddy's laugh, his warm embrace, his perplexingly pleasant odor of pumpkin, and his spiky blonde hair. Also, his really, really hot body.

Billy wanted to see Teddy again more than anything in the world. He wanted to talk, tell bad jokes, look into his brilliant blue eyes, and kiss his lips. What Billy wanted more that anything else in the entire world was to hear Teddy say he loved him as much as he loved Teddy.

That didn't mean it happened.

To Be Continued.


	4. Holding Out

The next few weeks were a total blur. Billy lost the ability to care about school, and limited his social contact to his family and some online message boards. He spent hours up in his room just staring out his window, watching the city outside. Whenever his parents asked, he said he was swamped with school work. Homework hardly seemed important now. He had trouble thinking of anything that did.

In the end, it all came back to Teddy. For some reason this slightly goofy boy who smelled like pumpkin and read comics was the most important thing in Billy's world. He found himself lingering at the comic shop longer than usual and even poked his head in at the hospital in hopes of finding him again. He even looked into local basketball teams to see if he could locate Teddy. Nothing worked. He spent enough time looking to probably be considered a stalker, but not enough to actually find him.

It was starting to look like this just wasn't meant to be.

He woke up one morning to find his alarm clock reading 11:14. In a dazed panic he frantically tried to get ready for school, never stopping to question why his parents had let him sleep in. As the logic centers of his brain begrudgingly turned on he figured that something might be wrong. He rushed downstairs to find his parents talking to his brothers in the living room.

"What's going on?" asked Billy. "Did school get cancelled?"

Both of his parents sighed. His mom said, "Yes. Something happened in Washington."

Billy slowly sat down on the couch. He could tell from their tone of voice that something was seriously wrong.

Dad said, "Last night the forces of HYDRA launched a siege on the White House and the entire city. President Barnes was evacuated and the government is in disarray."

_Oh._

_Oh, Fuck._

HYDRA was a terrorist group that had originated from Nazi war criminals that escaped justice, but had no strict ties to any national power. For years they had been gathering strength in America, and their leader Baron Wolfgang von Strucker had been threatening to overthrow the White House.

"What does that mean? Who's in charge now?"

Mom shook her said sadly. "We aren't sure. Baron Strucker has declared himself ruler of the city, and there hasn't been contact from anyone else." She turned towards the boys and adopted a more soothing tone. "Now it's possible that this might all blow over. HYDRA isn't as powerful as the whole army, and there's no saying that they will come here."

_But they might, right? And then what are we going to do?_

Dad put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "But we should take precautions. The schools will remain shut down for the next few days, and everyone should stay indoors as much as possible."

Billy was surprised how little the potential collapse of the federal government ended up affecting his daily life. He didn't have go to school anymore, but he hadn't been doing much there lately anyway. HYDRA shut down the news networks and was monitoring the Internet, which Billy hardly even noticed. He had lost the ability to care about what was going on in the outside world. The biggest affect was that it put things in perspective. The world was a fragile place, and could come shattering down at any moment. He remembered what Wanda had said, and decided he was tired of waiting.

_Mom should be able to help, right? I mean, she hasn_ _'_ _t had to work lately. She probably deals with more complicated stuff all the time._

"Hey, mom? Mind if we talk for a little bit?" Billy's voice was more quiet and nervous than he would have liked. It was only his mother, after all.

_My mother, the trained psychiatrist who I haven't come out to yet. _

"I was wondering when you were going to come talk to me." Her eyes lit up for the first time since the siege. "You've been very secluded lately, even before…" Her voice trailed off. "Anyway, I didn't want to pressure you until you were ready, but you seem depressed. Is this about Wanda?"

Billy shrugged. "Sort of. Between her and everything else that's been going on I've been thinking. Thinking about what's really important. About who's really important. Because I have the worst luck in the universe, I found someone really important and I don't even know their last name."

Mom smiled. "You know, one of my patients was saying just the same thing. I shouldn't be telling you about this, but he really seems to be in the same boat as you. He's about your age, actually."

"Really? What's his situation?"

"He found someone really special but doesn't know how to find them."

_Can_ _'_ _t be him. That would be too easy._

Trying and failing to be casual, Billy asked, "What's his name?"

Mom pursed her lips. "I really shouldn't-"

"Is it Teddy?" When he saw the look of shock on her face, Billy continued at a frantic pace. "Is he tall, blonde, with pierced ears? Smells like pumpkin pie? Looks like he could beat you up until you see his smile? Kind of a softie, really likes to hug people?"

Mom rose from her chair. "I don't think we should continue this conversation."

_Sorry Mom, I_ _'_ _m not backing down now._

"Why not? You said yourself he wanted to see me too. It would be good for him. We're… really good friends. Even though I don't know his last name or where he lives. What could possibly be wrong with finding him?"

"I'm sorry Billy. Ignoring doctor-patient confidentiality, it might not have a positive effect on Teddy. He's a very complicated boy."

"The times I met him before didn't upset him." Billy fought to keep himself from shouting. He had learned from a young age that raising your voice had no effect on either Dr. Kaplan, but especially not on Mom.

"Teddy's mom is very sick. He's having difficulty trusting people he feels emotionally connected to. I also suspect he might be in denial about his sexuality, although I don't know for sure. He wants people to like him more than anything in the world. He's willing to drastically change who he is to do so."

"He wouldn't have to change for me." Billy felt a tear slide down his eye.

Mom smiled. "Is he really that important to you?"

_More than you can imagine._

Billy nodded and choked back a sob. He had no idea that Teddy was dealing with these kinds of issues. That only convinced him he needed to see him more.

* * *

Theodore Rufus Altman lived in an apartment in Queens, according to his mom's billing records. Billy clasped the Post-it Note with his address and phone number like it was the Holy Bible. He might have skipped through the streets, if it weren't for the eerie atmosphere of the city. People were more willing to leave their homes than they were a few days ago, but the city was still far less busy than he was used to. He briskly walked along the sidewalk, motivated by anticipation and an uncomfortable feeling he got from the almost silent streets.

When he reached the door, Billy realized he suddenly had no idea how to introduce himself.

_What do I say? "_ _Hi, I_ _'_ _m that one guy you met a couple times. I went outside during the collapse of the United States because I_ _'_ _m completely in love with you, apparently. I tracked you down because my Mom_ _'_ _s your therapist. Here_ _'_ _s hoping you find that romantic instead of profoundly creepy._

He settled for quietly murmuring "Hi" as Teddy opened the door. The boy's face turned from confusion to shock to joy, then back to confusion again. "How did you find me? Should I be worried?"

He shook his head and rustled his hair. Billy was suddenly consumed with a burning desire to rustle Teddy's hair. Teddy said, "Sorry. That probably wasn't the most polite way to start. Do you want to come in?"

Billy's cheeks were burning red, probably not helped by his carefree smile which he imagined made him look a little stupid. He didn't care right now.

"Actually, I was thinking it might be nice if we walked and talked. Want to go through the park?"

* * *

There was something surreal about just walking through the park with Teddy Altman, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. As if they hadn't spent any time apart, and the world wouldn't end at any second. Although the park was as abandoned as the rest of the city, Billy didn't even notice. Being next to Teddy was all the company he needed. Teddy was actually taking this pretty well, not seeming to care that Billy had basically stalked him using confidential information.

"So your mom is really Doctor Kaplan? I don't know why I didn't figure that out sooner. I feel kind of stupid now."

"Don't. I'm actually adopted. Happens all the time."

"Learn something new every day. I never would have guessed that. I feel embarrassed, because I talked to her about you a lot."

"If anything, she should feel bad about not recognizing her son. Then again, you probably didn't tell her how I'm always eating before dinner and never brush my teeth."

Billy was afraid he sounded corny, but if he was, Teddy didn't show it. He genuinely seemed to think that Billy was just magically funny, and had giggled out loud several times already.

_God, if being corny means I get to keep hearing him laugh, I_ _'_ _ll have an ethanol blood transplant. And I have the sudden urge to grow pumpkins because of his goddamn shampoo._

Despite the warm weather, Teddy looked like he was freezing.

"Look, is there something specific you wanted to talk about? 'Cause it's kind of creepy out here. The mayor said we shouldn't even go outside if we can avoid it."

"I just wanted to see you again, that's all." Billy almost choked on the words. "I'd like to see you more often, but I didn't know how to find you. I'm tired of having to run into you randomly."

Teddy let out a sigh of relief. Billy wasn't sure why. Teddy said, "I guess that makes sense. We're pretty good friends, after all, even if we have only met two times."

Billy's heart rate doubled. _Friends. Right._

He groaned. He had come too far to hold himself back now.

"Yeah, sometimes you don't have to meet someone too many times to realize they'd make a great..." His voice cracked and he almost choked. "...friend. Friends are great. You're great."

Billy exhaled deeply. "We could be more than friends, if you know, you want."

Teddy smiled for a split second. Then he shook his head sadly. "I'm not sure that's a good idea, Billy."

"Why not?" A fiery rage rose in Billy's stomach. He barely managed to suppress it for Teddy's sake. "You're a great guy, and we seem to be really happy together. I- I don't see a problem."

"I'm not..."

"You're not what? Say it, Teddy. It's okay. Just say it. If you feel something, you can't keep it bottled up inside. Trust me. Just be who you are."

Teddy was on the verge of sobbing. "I'm not sure who that is."

Billy lightly ran his fingers along Teddy's cheek. Teddy shot back a sad smile. He laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, Billy. I don't think I know how to deal with this."

Billy couldn't hold himself back anymore. He grasped Teddy's broad shoulders and quickly kissed his cheeks. For a brief moment, Teddy seemed happy. Then he brushed Billy away. With tears in his eyes, he murmured, "Oh God, I'm so _sorry"_ over and over again. He turned away from Billy and started walking away.

Billy followed him and tugged on the sleeve of his jacket. Teddy pushed out the hand he wasn't using to cover his eyes. He shoved Billy with more force than he probably intended to. Billy fell to the ground and Teddy hurried off into the city. Billy just sat there and watched him leave.

He spent almost ten minutes sitting on the ground, riding out the adrenaline rush. He genuinely had no idea what to do. Teddy was so amazing, so perfect, that he couldn't figure out what to do without him, not even to stand up. A familiar voice said, "Hey. Looks like you could use a hand."

A lithe arm descended into the edge of Billy's field of vision. Without looking up he grabbed the arm, and was pulled up off the grass. He turned his head to see who had come to help him.

It was like looking in the mirror. Every facial detail, every body structure, was exactly the same as Billy's. The voice was almost identical too, if a bit louder than Billy normally was. The one exception was the almost white blonde hair.

"Tommy?"

Tommy grinned. "Yep, it's been a while. You'd think you'd have time to visit your twin brother every now and again."

Words jumbled their way out of Billy's mouth without focus or order. "But- it can't be- you're, you're locked up in- Wanda said..."

Tommy chuckled harshly. He pulled a black device, about the size and shape of a TV remote, from his pocket. The end sparked with blue electricity as he pushed into Billy's stomach. It burned, but the pain dulled as Billy fell back and lost consciousness.

To Be Concluded.


	5. Interlude

Ten hours earlier…

Ravencroft had really been losing its touch lately. For an insane asylum, the place had actually become somewhat tolerable. Tommy blamed the HYDRA attack. With the government in shambles, most of the annoying employees couldn't bother to turn up. They were probably too busy hiding under their bed sheets at home to come and lecture them about the importance of facing a problem head-on.

Normally this would suit Tommy just fine. The thing he hated most about Ravencroft was probably the employees and their holier-than-thou attitude (well, apart from the food, the other inmates, and being trapped there against his will). At first he considered just taking it slow; enjoying the higher degree of freedom like the rest of the lunatics he was stuck here with. However, Tommy Shepard was never one to let a good opportunity pass him by.

It first occurred to him during one of Kasady's semi-weekly outbursts. Although he was far from obsessive compulsive, Cletus "Carnage" Kasady's could be as predictable as clockwork. One day, just when things were quieting down, he would stand atop a table in the cafeteria and yell something about his blood being alive and how he would kill them all. Inevitably, the guards would take him and drag him off for intensive medication. However, Tommy noticed that after the HYDRA attack there were only two guards present to take him down. They still got him, but it was more of a struggle.

He eyed the cafeteria suspiciously and confirmed that today there were still only two guards instead of the five they normally got. For a maximum security institute to be missing guards like this meant they didn't have a choice, and had to take what they could get. Wade Wilson sat next to him with a plate filled with more pancakes than any person could possibly eat.

"I didn't take you for the paranoid type, Tommy. Who do you think could be watching you? The place is practically empty."

"That's the point. They're vulnerable. The attack has people too afraid to come to work. Some of them have probably left the state, may e the country. If we wanted to break out, now's the time."

With his mouth full of pancake, Wade said, "Why'd you want to leave? Look how much food they give us. This is kind of a sweet deal. "

Tommy groaned. "I'll never understand how you eat so much and stay in such good shape."

"Healing factor and lazy artistry." said Wade, spitting bits of food as he spoke.

"You really think you can make it out of here?"

Tommy brushed a white bang out of his face and shrugged. "It's gotta be worth a shot, right? I mean, what else are we going to do? Sit through another goddamn lecture from Everbest? No fucking way."

"You got a plan then? Cool breakouts always need an elaborate, needlessly complex plan. Otherwise, what the point? "

Tommy new better than to take Wade's flair for drama to seriously, but he did actually have a few ideas. "Do you know if Dmitri still keeps his makeup and stuff in the same place?"

"Yeah, the woman's bathroom." Wade laughed. "And they say I'm a deviant."

Tommy laughed too. "That's because you are. I don't care if you do look lie Ryan Reynolds-eerily so, actually- you're a bit creepy. And you need to stop giving people "Surprise hugs" or whatever. That shit's just awkward."

Wade rose and turned his head up in mock disdain."I don't have to put up,with this. I have an improbably large fanbase."

He huffed off, stuffing whole pancakes into his pockets.

Tommy waited for a few hours until the next recreational break. There wasn't much to do, so most of the patients were blankly staring off into the guards out of the corner of his eye. One of them was clearly bored and left to go to the bathroom or something. That left just one man alone in a room full of dangerous psychopaths.

_If he's that careless, he deserves what he's about to get._

Without any warning, Tommy sprinted across the room and rammed the guard's stomach. Caught off guard, he fell to the floor in a daze. Not pausing for a second, Tommy reached into his belt and detached a black rectangular device. The prodded the taser into the still-disoriented man's neck. A wave of satisfaction crashed over Tommy as he pushed the button and shocked the guard into unconsciousness.

Tommy ran as fast as he could through the bland white halls, he used to be a member of the track team, and if he had to pick a talent, he would probably go with running. It was the one thing he was somewhat good at.

_Apart from being attractive, smart, and good at deluding myself._

Tommy was a bit surprised at the lack of resistance his way out. Maybe at this point nobody even cared if the unstable killers left the asylum. A conquering army was probably going to start roaming the streets any day now.

_All that means is I have a timetable to work with. No problem. I'm pretty sure finding Billy won't be hard._

* * *

"Oh great. It's you again. It's always such a pleasure having you." Cassie Lang couldn't care less how sarcastic she sounded. If she got this customer to leave she wouldn't miss the tip. Her boss would probably giver her a raise to keep her from coming back.

"It's a pleasure being here, dear friend! This is far and away the greatest eatery on the island."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, pipsqueak. We're a crappy retro diner. Big whoop."

The boy fiddled with his silverware. He made an "X" out of the fork and knife and pouring salt in a circle around it. Cassie rolled her eyes and tried not to notice. Whatever he was doing, it wasn't worth her time.

"Have you decided what to order, Mr...?"

"Luc Laufeyson. It's French, probably. Anyway, I would like the special."

Pursing her lips, Cassie murdered, "We're out of the special."

They probably weren't but she was still holding onto the vain hope that he would leave. The odds were against her.

"I'll just order whatever has the most bacon on it."

"Spoken like a true American."

Cassie got out of there as quickly as she could. She continued working, serving the other customers with only a few incidents. Granted, every now and then Luc would piss off one of the patrons and send them leaving in a huff, but things were better than they usually were with him.

_At least he tips well. That's got to be worth something, right?_

Lucy's order was ready. She brought a plate filled with nothing but sausage and bacon.

"If you always eat like this, how come you're so small?"

The boy grinned. "Well, my metabolism is a bit-what's that sound?"

Cassie didn't notice at first, but there was a distinct sound coming from the sky. The hum of jet engines mixed with the chopping of helicopter blades. An expression of panic swept over the boy's face.

"This is too early. I thought I'd have more time." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Cassie looked out of the diners window and saw a cluster of aircraft approaching some black, thin planes flew ahead of a squadron of military choppers.

"Things must be worse than I thought. There should have been more time." Luc pulled out a Starkphone and frantically scrolled through messages. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'm afraid I can't tip you, but the world is probably ending, so who cares?"

Cassie was about to object when she saw the planed draw nearer. They were clearly bombers. There was a high-pitched nose like a slide whistle as several black objects dropped from the planes. The edge of the city lit up with orange light. The glow illuminated a logo on the wings, a familiar skull with octopus tentacles surrounding it.

"Well, I've got to go. HYDRA is probably about to screw things up for me, so wish me luck."

"What are you going to do?" asked Cassie.

"I'm going to try not to get blown up long enough to convince a troubled teenager that the fate of the earth rests with him. Can I get a to-go box for my food?"

To Be Concluded.


	6. Komm, Susser Tod

Billy awoke tied up in a chair with no idea how he got there.

_Here we go with the cliche's again. In fact, it's even worse this time. This time it's literally because of my evil twin._

Tommy was sitting across the room on a neatly made bed. They were in some dingy apartment with no windows. Tommy was twirling a rectangular black object between his fingers until he noticed Billy had woken up.

"Finally! You're a really deep sleeper, you know that?"

Billy groaned. "Being tapered probably had something to do with that."

"Always with the sass." A cruel smirk grew along Tommy's face. "The doctors back at Ravencroft would call it a defense mechanism or some bullshit."

"My mom says the same thing."

"Oh, that's right, you get to live with a licensed therapist who actually cares about you instead of rotation away in a loony bin. Lucky bastard."

Billy struggled in vain with the ropes. His twin had clearly read some books on knot tying, because the restraints wouldn't budge. He heard a loud boom in the distance, like a car backfiring.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be. I recently enjoyed a lovely stay at the hospital because some people are too concerned about the kind of person I'd like to sleep with."

"Cry me a _fucking _river," snarled Tommy. "Take a look at this."

He pressed a switch on the black object in his hand. A silver blade swung out, gleaming in the dim light. Tommy tugged the collar of his shirt and pressed the blade against it. With a quick flourish, the tore his shirt open. Billy couldn't help but notice how muscular his twin was in comparison to his rather gaunt body, which was the last thing his self-esteem needed. However, his attention was drawn to the white scars that adorned Tommy's torso.

"These," said Tommy, gesturing to a series of long, thing lines on his chest, "are from Cletus Kasady. Good old "Mr. Carnage" likes to slash at people when the orderlies aren't looking. What else would you expect from the most prolific serial killer in the county?"

He pointed his knife to a circular patch of skin. "I got this one from Frank Castle, who stabbed me with a fork during lunch a few months ago."

He directed Billy to a dark bruise on his shoulder. "This is from when I bumped into Bob Reynolds. He more or less kicked me when I found him after he had hanged himself in the boy's bathroom."

Tommy's voice cracked and he gave a weak smile. "That will teach me to watch where I'm going."

Billy tugged at the ropes in vain. "Alright, so our lives kind of suck. What did we expect? Our parents where fucking terrorists. Just untie me, okay! What exactly do you think is going to happen?"

"I've actually got a whole plan lined up."Tommy twirled the knife between his fingers. " you see, there was this guy at Ravencroft named Dmitri. Apparently he used to be some sort of Russian spy. Out of his gourd, of course, but he was still a master of disguise."

Tommy placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and leaned in close. "He taught me a trick or two. I'm nowhere near his level, but how hard can it be to impersonate my identical twin?"

Billy let a desperate sigh slip out. "Give it up Tommy. I can get you help."

Tommy cackled. "You can't even help yourself. I'm way out of your league. Don't worry, I'll be better at being you than you ever could be. It could be months before your family notices. And when they do, I'll gut them just like you."

Tommy pressed the cold blade against his brother's neck. The sharp metal made his skin tingle. He heard the booming noise in the distance, getting closer. The sound of police sirens had joined in. For a moment he thought someone might be on their way to help him.

_No, I haven't been gone long enough. Nobody knows I'm missing yet. The last person to see me was Teddy, and God knows where he is._

Tommy continued, "Y'know, I could probably even fool that guy you were hitting on. Maybe I'll do better than you did. I can do a pretty good impression of a flaming homo."

A new voice said, "Now, now, there's no need for rudeness."

The twins turned their heads simultaneously. In the doorway stood that weird kid in the hoodie. Tommy had locked the door, yet here he was.

Tommy pointed his knife at him. "Who the _fuck_ are you?"

The boy smiled mischievously. "That's complicated, actually. You can call me Loki, god of Mischief. Or Luc Laufeyson. Or 'that little shit.' The choice is up to your discretion."

An expression of rage grew on Tommy's face. He grasped his switchblade firmly and gritted his teeth. "I don't know or care who you are-"

The boy cut him off. "And you probably never will."

He stretched out his palm. Green jets of light shot out and struck Tommy in the chest. He gasped and crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Loki walked over and casually kicked the knife, sending it sliding across the floor and out of Tommy's reach.

"Well, Billy, you're probably very confused, but fortunately I have a lot of detailed answers."

The booming sound in the distance grew louder and more frequent. "Unfortunately, we have no time for that. You can either come with me or stay with your psychopathic twin. Your choice."

He snapped his fingers, which glowed with green light. The restraints holding Billy grew slack and fell to the floor. Billy stood up and followed Loki outside.

"Seriously, who are you, and how do you know so much about me?"

Between panted breaths, Loki said, "I'm a friend of yours, in another life. You are a very powerful boy. You're a superhero, and a damned good one."

"Bullshit."

Loki sighed in exasperation. "Believe what you like. You clearly can see I have cool magic powers, so is it really so unlikely? Why would I lie to you anyway?"

They hurried down a staircase, taking it two steps at a time. "So you're a superhero too?"

"Sort of. I'm morally ambiguous. Makes me more interesting. Anyway, you have very complex powers that you can barely control. They allow you to alter reality and other cool stuff. That's why we're here."

They stepped outside onto the streets of New York. The city was in shambles. HYDRA bombers flew overhead and dropped their deadly payloads. In any direction one could see giant explosions tearing through buildings. The sounds were drowned out by panicked screams and the futile wail of sirens. Loki paused to catch his breath.

"Everything you see is in your control you have the power to make all of this go away. But if you don't, we will surely die."

"What does that even _mean_?" demanded Billy. "How did this happen?"

"We were fighting together. The two of us are on a team with other hip young beamslingers. And the battle went poorly. You and Teddy Altman got hurt."

"Teddy's there too?" said Billy, with a hint of hope.

"Yep. You two are dating. And you're sickeningly adorable. In a moment of weakness, you believed it was your fault that he was hurt, and you lost control of your powers."

"So I created all this? Why?"

Loki coughed. "To punish yourself. You perceived yourself as powerless, so you created a world where you were. That's why everyone you know has been telling you not to be a hero, even though it's in your nature. That would ruin the illusion."

Billy heard the high pitched sound of something falling behind him. He and Loki turned too late to see the bomb. The shockwave from the explosion threw them both off their feet. They came back to earth with a violent _thud._

Loki spat up blood. "I'm only here because I protect myself from spells lime this. If I die here, I really die. So I need you to wake yourself up _right now._"

"How the _fuck_ do I do that, Mr. God of Mischief?"

Loki grinned, bearing bloodstained teeth. "Have you ever seen _The Wizard of Oz_?"

"You have got to be joking."

"Sort of. Your powers are tired to your will. You're here because you will bad things to happen to you. If you stop, everything will go back to normal."

Billy took in a deep breath. "And I'll be with Teddy?"

"Yes. He loves you more than anything, and he needs you to be there for him. So _wake up!_"

Billy closed his eyes. "_IwanttowakeupIwanttowakeupIwanttowakeup..."_

The world shimmered with blue light and faded away into nothingness.

* * *

Billy awoke on a bed in Noh-Varr's spaceship. He looked over his shoulder and saw the a green arm gently grasping his wrist.

"You were out for a pretty long time," said Teddy. "I missed you."

Billy smiled and sat up. He kissed Teddy on the lips. "I'm glad to be back."

The End


End file.
